New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-22
ONEILL d co.'s NEW BUILDING.

PUTTING Up LARGE AND IMPOSING sToRE-How
THE BUSINESS HAS GRowy.
The firm Of H. ONeill Co. has long found its big and
Increasing business uncomfortaby cramped In the mar
three story dwelling houses that has had to press
into service stores from time to time along the block In
sixthave between Twentieth and Twenty first sts. Any
who has shopped In the yeow-faeed brick build
ing 1t stands now win remember the low ceilings
and sopng floors OF the DID, maeOver houses the dense
crowding and pressure everywhere of retail trade
squeezed into half its ghtful compass The store Itself
ronted on the lower half of the block and ran back some
distance in West Twentetist But the lots both TO the
north and west were held out of the market and for
long time, though the business almost doubling IN
many branches In the meartme further expansion In
the way OF store room seemed possible.
This year. however the firm at last got hold OF the
other half Of the frontage sixth-ave, four and
half lots additional and Of ten lots down the side in West
Twentieth-st The old houses these new plots were
at pulled down. and the whole nineteen lots will be
possible, without seriously interrupng
the firms business for single huge fourstory reproot
building, so feet high. 200 feet long ard us feet
Deep The work, Of will have 70 by install
ments The upper half the sxth-avc face has to be
finished before tho present building the lower half can
be torn down. Part OF the store thus be kept open
all the WHILE the business running under reeed SAIL until
the whole of the big building be used But with
the fair start already made and with so energetic firm
to push the work. it looks II the fall and winter season
would open at ONeilfs In remarkably complete ana
striking store
The new store will front, like the old on sixthave.
and with much the sort OF facade in the middle
The entire face will be Of tho side walls and all the
partition walls OF brick The loors Will be isolated and
the whole building made fire-prcoE Ia shape, when
finished the store will be something like au L. with the
crOsssg on West Twentiethst There will be but one
face howeverthat toward the east The long iron front
will be relieved not only by the facade in the middle, but
by two bullying wers at the Twentethst and Twenty
hrstst corners. Eaeh tower with its tip and vane, will
measure 100 feet from the ground To the top OF the
facade in the middle will be 80 feet To the plain edge
roof of either will be GO feet The
measure the average 60 feet in height
The main building will be divided ino -four stories with
high ceilings and largo open windows The Snth-aye
front In fact will almost nothing but glass and iron.
The first doJr will be used as general sass-room Inc
ties at ONellps millinery, all sorts Of cloaks and suits
and upholstery. The fourth floor will Do used for
storing stock and also for workmens rooms
Cellars and subcellars will give plenty OF extra space
for storage. ,,. , -.
| like Wanamakers in Philadelphia. The welknown
lines Of in which the rm deals now VIII merely be
out-ostown retail trade The assortment Of goods
all through viii be much the same: but a
greater quantity and greater variety or articles
! In any one class will be kept constantly on
hand As before the millinery and cloak ana su de
fargo stock OF upholstery and hOusefurnishng goods VIII
be added rugs portieres, curtains ever sang but car
Work on the upper half Of the building is already going
on day and nght The foundations have almost been
dug and the walls will be up fast as the workmen
know how double force Will be Kept Oh the Ouudlhg
ali spring and summer The upper half may be finished
in fact by July CT August Then the goods the present
building will be carried across aud the seconc ha OK tae
lob will begin. To keep things going easily IN All THIS
Confusion the firm has determined TO reduce It's pres
emit stock OF goods, II possible, by haH There
has been general inarkdown on al
classes Of coaks suits, bonnets, ribbons, aees and
the rest Some pieces are now seuIng az 40 or oo
per cent discount former prices Others nave Deen
| reduced absolutely falling many or ther below tne
original wholesale cost And the consequence - more
active scramble for bargains than ever In the OLD yeoW
building whose shabby walls have been uncovered Cd
tho uptown side by the hasty demoftops aud e1cavs
tons below. IL nothing unusual happens tne whOle
musty block will be cleared OIL by the emu OF Vscion no
IL Is about seventeen years ago that y Nel y 20
came ~ Sixthave. and Twenteth-St Thaf part OF tne
avenue was then the great shopping street
IL has become since, and taking single dweinh mouse
for store like most OF the rest the firm grew
through al. the strengthening boom tlere. 70 lts
present portance and reputation III mas nov ono W
Inc most erowed stores In Newi0rk and by nextwlhtei
vii have one too OF the largest End most imposing
Under the present improved delivery 81 stem O.Ne.u
Co send packages OF goods bought anyw ere "ltnin
radius or seventy-hve miles from New-logk Iree -, o
charge The firm too one or the nrs " ueVelop hs
mail order system, sending out samples ciculars pam
phlets aud catalogues, or receiving orters tnrousi
agents and then delivering goods as fourh.cass MAJ
mattsr From n business OF few tnousand dollars
year ths branch OF the retail trade r. mas sWoe
10 hundreds OF thousands or dollars IL soneraI trau
catalogue II issued by this system twice eacn year
April and September, and orders can Dc mae irou
running through aseason some packages rom y en- III,
Co.'s reeulary 20 west OF the Alleghenies ana ever
across the Mississippi In the big new Dulding sPec
set OF offices will be set apart for the postal delivery par
| OF the Trade.